scholarly journals Evolução da Linguagem e Ordem Natural de Palavras os verbos reversíveis e não reversíveis da Língua Gestual de São Tomé e Príncipe num estudo piloto

2021 ◽  
pp. 99-109
Author(s):  
Ana Mineiro
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Language Evolution ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Sao Tome And Principe ◽  
Gesture Studies ◽  
Sao Tome E Principe

search on language evolution has recently focused on the issue of natural word order, that is, word order in the phylogenetic and cognitive sense (Pagel 2009; Gell-Mann and Ruhlen 2011). Sign language and gesture studies have inspired this discussion in the literature, with special emphasis on the seminal study by Goldin-Meadow and colleagues (2008). The results of this study revealed that participants tend to produce SVO and SOV word order, regardless of the syntax of their native language. This finding has been corroborated in later studies (Gibson et al. 2013; Hall et al. 2013; Sandler et al. 2005). Our study aims to verify if there is dominant word order, or not, in linguistic emergence of Sign Language of São Tomé and Príncipe.

scholarly journals Disentangling Pantomime From Early Sign in a New Sign Language: Window Into Language Evolution Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Mineiro ◽  
Inmaculada Concepción Báez-Montero ◽  
Mara Moita ◽  
Isabel Galhano-Rodrigues ◽  
Alexandre Castro-Caldas
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Sign Language ◽  
Language Evolution ◽  
Interaction Process ◽  
Cognitive System ◽  
Linguistic Complexity ◽  
Sao Tome And Principe ◽  
Shared Language ◽  
First Contact

In this study, we aim to disentangle pantomime from early signs in a newly-born sign language: Sao Tome and Principe Sign Language. Our results show that within 2 years of their first contact with one another, a community of 100 participants interacting everyday was able to build a shared language. The growth of linguistic systematicity, which included a decrease in use of pantomime, reduction of the amplitude of signs and an increase in articulation economy, showcases a learning, and social interaction process that constitutes a continuum and not a cut-off system. The human cognitive system is endowed with mechanisms for symbolization that allow the process of arbitrariness to unfold and the expansion of linguistic complexity. Our study helps to clarify the role of pantomime in a new sign language and how this role might be linked with language itself, showing implications for language evolution research.

scholarly journals From improvisation to learning: how naturalness and systematicity shape language evolution

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasamin Motamedi ◽  
Lucie Wolters ◽  
Danielle Naegeli ◽  
Simon Kirby ◽  
Marieke Schouwstra
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Cultural Transmission ◽  
Cognitive Biases ◽  
Language Evolution ◽  
Direct Object ◽  
Natural Languages ◽  
Gesture Studies ◽  
Event Order ◽  
Linguistic Backgrounds ◽  
Learning Event

Silent gesture studies, in which hearing participants from different linguistic backgrounds produce gestures to communicate events, have been used to test hypotheses about the cognitive biases that govern cross-linguistic word order preferences. In particular, the differential use of SOV and SVO order to communicate, respectively, extensional events (where the direct object exists independently of the event; e.g., girl throws ball) and intensional events (where the meaning of the direct object is potentially dependent on the verb; e.g., girl thinks of ball), has been suggested to represent a natural preference, demonstrated in improvisation contexts. However, natural languages tend to prefer systematic word orders, where a single order is used regardless of the event being communicated. We present a series of studies that investigate ordering preferences for SOV and SVO orders using an online forced-choice experiment, where participants select orders for different events i) in the absence of conventions and ii) after learning event-order mappings in different frequencies in a regularisation experiment. Our results show that natural ordering preferences arise in the absence of conventions, replicating previous findings from production experiments. In addition, we show that participants regularise the input they learn in the manual modality in two ways, such that, while the preference for systematic order patterns increases through learning, it exists in competition with the natural ordering preference, that conditions order on the semantics of the event. Using our experimental data in a computational model of cultural transmission, we show that this pattern is expected to persist over generations, suggesting that we should expect to see evidence of semantically-conditioned word order variability in at least some languages.

Practical Issues of Translated Texts Editing

2019 ◽  
Vol 25242644 ◽  
pp. 38-41
Author(s):  
Maryna Aleksandrovych
Keyword(s):  
Word Order ◽  
Native Language ◽  
Original Text ◽  
Copy Editor ◽  
Proper Nouns ◽  
Units Of Measurement ◽  
Work Shifts ◽  
Basic Features

This article contains a summary of some practical issues of translated texts editing with clear examples. Copy editing of translated texts is different from copy editing of texts written in the native language, because the focus of the work shifts from how to deliver an author’s message in the most appropriate way to how to deliver author’s text, written in the native language, in another language (Ukrainian) in the most appropriate way. The first question is the versatility: does the copy editor need to know the language of the original text in order to do effective copy editing. And she/he should at least understand the basic features of the language of the original text such as phonetics, grammar and syntax. Also a copy editor should pay particular attention to such aspects as: at the lexical level – false friends, transliteration of proper nouns, excess of possessive pronouns, translation or adaptation of lexical gaps; at the syntactic level – copulative verb, word order in a sentence, contrastive stress in a phrase, address words, syntax simplification. A necessary aspect is the unification of certain elements in the translated text: address words, units of measurement (length, weight, area, time, volume, etc.), transliterated proper and common nouns. Described in this article principles of transliteration, unification, adaptation, lexical and syntactic aspects of copy editing of translated texts will help to improve the quality of translated books into Ukrainian.

scholarly journals Proposta de Ações de Educação Ambiental em São Tomé e Príncipe

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (12) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
Osvaldo Vaz FURTADO ◽  
Andrea Yumi Sugishita KANIKADAN
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Education ◽  
Solid Waste ◽  
Public Management ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Final Destination ◽  
Sao Tome And Principe ◽  
Urban Solid Waste ◽  
Investigación Cualitativa ◽  
Sociedad Civil ◽  
Sao Tome E Principe

RESUMOEste estudo tem como objetivo analisar o processo de coleta, tratamento, destinação final dos resíduos sólidos e a partir disso propor ações de educação ambiental em Água Grande, distrito de São Tomé e Príncipe (STP). O intuito é descrever as principais características que retratam a situação local. O estudo traz um levantamento teórico sobre poluição ambiental, resíduos sólidos urbanos e educação ambiental. Foi conduzida uma pesquisa qualitativa, com técnicas de análise documental e bibliográfica. Pôde-se verificar que o distrito de Água Grande carece de boas práticas para a coleta, separação, tratamento e a sua destinação final, englobando todos os processos de gerenciamento dos Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos (RSU). Nessa perspectiva, o estudo apresenta sugestão relacionada à educação ambiental desde a infância, de modo que exista um envolvimento integrado da gestão pública, sociedade civil e indústrias privadas. Tudo isso levando-se em consideração a questão da saúde pública no país.São Tomé e Príncipe. Educação ambiental. Gestão de resíduos sólidos. ABSTRACTThis study aims to analyze the process of collection, treatment, final disposal of solid waste in order to propose policies in environmental education in Água Grande, district of São Tomé and Príncipe (STP). The aim is to describe the main characteristics that portray the local situation. The study provides a theoretical survey on environmental pollution, solid urban waste and environmental education. A qualitative research was conducted, using techniques of documentary and bibliographic analysis. It was possible to verify that the district of Água Grande lacks of good practices for the collection, separation, treatment and its final destination, encompassing all the processes of management of Urban Solid Waste (MSW). In this perspective, the study presents a suggestion related to environmental education since childhood, so that there is an integrated partnership of public management, civil society and private industries. All of this taking into account the issue of public health within the country.São Tomé and Príncipe. Environmental education. Solid waste management.  RESUMENEste estudio tiene como objetivo analizar el proceso de recolección, tratamiento, disposición final de residuos sólidos y proponer acciones de educación ambiental en Água Grande, distrito de Santo Tomé y Príncipe (STP). El objetivo es describir las principales características que retratan la situación local. El estudio proporciona un levantamiento teórico sobre contaminación ambiental, residuos sólidos urbanos y educación ambiental. Se realizó una investigación cualitativa, utilizando técnicas de análisis documental y bibliográfico. Se pudo constatar que el distrito de Água Grande carece de buenas prácticas para la recolección, separación, tratamiento y su destino final, abarcando todos los procesos de gestión de Residuos Sólidos Urbanos (RSU). En esta perspectiva, el estudio presenta una sugerencia relacionada con la educación ambiental desde la infancia, para que exista un involucramiento integrado de la gestión pública, la sociedad civil y las industrias privadas. Todo ello teniendo en cuenta el tema de la salud pública en el país.Santo Tomé y Príncipe. Educación ambiental. Manejo de residuos sólidos.  SOMMARIOQuesto studio si propone di analizzare il processo di raccolta, trattamento, smaltimento finale dei rifiuti solidi e proporre azioni di educazione ambientale ad Água Grande, distretto di São Tomé e Príncipe (STP). L'obiettivo è descrivere le principali caratteristiche che ritraggono la situazione locale. Lo studio fornisce un'indagine teorica su inquinamento ambientale, rifiuti solidi urbani e educazione ambientale. È stata condotta una ricerca qualitativa, utilizzando tecniche di analisi documentaria e bibliografica. È stato riscontrato che il distretto di Água Grande manca di buone pratiche per la raccolta, la separazione, il trattamento e la sua destinazione finale, che comprende tutti i processi di gestione dei rifiuti solidi urbani (RSU). In questa prospettiva, lo studio presenta un suggerimento relativo all'educazione ambientale fin dall'infanzia, in modo che ci sia un coinvolgimento integrato della gestione pubblica, della società civile e delle industrie private. Tutto questo tenendo conto della questione della salute pubblica nel Paese.Sao Tome e Principe. Educazione ambientale. Gestione dei rifiuti solidi.

A Note on the Sao Tome Archives

1997 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 399-400
Author(s):  
Stanley B. Alpern
Keyword(s):  
Young Women ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Director General ◽  
Reading Room ◽  
Western Africa ◽  
Sao Tome And Principe ◽  
National Archives ◽  
New Nation ◽  
Sao Tome E Principe ◽  
Story Building

When I wrote two prominent European historians of western Africa that I was planning a trip to São Tomé and would check out the national archives, one replied: “Are there really local archives? The Cape Verdes seem to have lost theirs.” The other remarked that “[i]t would certainly be worth finding out whether any of the old archives are still on the island.” Even the person who would be my host there, a resident American official, had the impression that the Portuguese had carted off all the colonial records when São Tomé and Príncipe became independent in 1975.I am happy to report that the Arquivo Histórico of the new nation is alive and surprisingly well. On my visit in March of 1996 I met two dedicated and cultivated young women who were doing their utmost against long odds to organize and preserve all that is left of their country's written records. They are Maria Nazaré Ceita, a trained historian who is Director General of Culture of São Tomé e Principe, and, under her, Anabela Barroso, Director of the Arquivo Histórico.Since December of 1995 they and a tiny staff have been moving the archives into spacious, if spartan, new quarters in the heart of São Tomé city. The modernistic one-story building used to be the offices of the Prime Minister. When I visited the place, much had already been done. Long neat rows of boxed and dated dossiers were up on shelves, though jumbles of papers remained to be sorted. The archives also contains a small library for researchers and space for a large, as yet unfurnished, reading room.

Linearization constraints on sentential negation in Russian Sign Language are prosodic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pavel Rudnev ◽  
Anna Kuznetsova
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Phonological Information ◽  
Heavy Object ◽  
Sentential Negation ◽  
Main Strategy

Abstract This squib documents exceptions to the main strategy of expressing sentential negation in Russian Sign Language (RSL). The postverbal sentential negation particle in RSL inverts the basic SVO order characteristic of the language turning it into SOV (Pasalskaya 2018a). We show that this reversal requirement under negation is not absolute and does not apply to prosodically heavy object NPs. The resulting picture accords well with the view of RSL word order laid out by Kimmelman (2012) and supports a model of grammar where syntactic computation has access to phonological information (Kremers 2014; Bruening 2019).

What the Hell, English?

2021 ◽  
pp. 2-38
Author(s):  
Arika Okrent ◽  
Sean O’Neill
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Word Order ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Language ◽  
History Of ◽  
Dutch Language ◽  
Orderly System ◽  
The Way

This chapter provides an overview of the oddities of the English language. It begins by looking at the poem of Dutch writer Gerard Nolst Trenité and how he spent his career nitpicking defense of his own native language. Nolst Trenité saw that the Dutch language had its own inconsistencies. His complaints about the way his fellow citizens butchered the Dutch language were different from his complaints about English, but they came from the same expectation that language should be a logical, orderly system. The patterns are often overshadowed by what looks like randomness, and there are irregularities everywhere, not just in the spelling system. At every level of language, from spelling to vocabulary to grammar to word order to meaning there are violations of harmony and order. This book is thus a collection of answers to questions about English. It also presents a history of English that explores the tension between logic and habit in language development.

Differentiating ‘dialect’ and ‘language’ in sign languages

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 190-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Sze ◽  
Silva Isma ◽  
Adhika Irlang Suwiryo ◽  
Laura Lesmana Wijaya ◽  
Adhi Kusumo Bharato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sign Language ◽  
Word Order ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Sign Languages ◽  
Language Varieties ◽  
The Past ◽  
Linguistic Evidence ◽  
The World ◽  
Language Promotion

The distinction between languages and dialects has remained a controversial issue in literature. When such a distinction is made, it often has far-reaching implications in top-down language promotion and preservation policies that tend to favor only those varieties that are labelled as ‘languages’. This issue is of critical importance for the survival of most sign language varieties in the world from a socio-political point of view. Against this background, this paper discusses how the notions of ‘dialect’ and ‘language’ have been applied in classifying sign languages in the past few decades. In particular, the paper reports on two recent studies which provide linguistic evidence that the signing varieties used by Deaf signers in Jakarta and Yogyakarta in Indonesia should be regarded as distinct sign languages rather than mutually intelligible dialects of Indonesian Sign Language. The evidence comes from significant differences in the lexicon, preferred word order for encoding transitive events, and use of mouth actions. Our result suggests that signing varieties within a country can be significantly different from each other, thus calling for more concerted efforts in documenting and recognizing these differences if the linguistic needs of the signing communities are to be met.

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